PS, I Love You
by Nymphean
Summary: Fate forces Percy and Oliver to live under the same roof, and they find out that they have MUCH more in common than they ever suspected. PO Slash.
1. Notes

A/N: This is yet another new fic that I shouldn't be writing because I have so many on the go, but it's sitting in my files begging to be posted, so… I give you quality Percy/Oliver drivel. Please enjoy responsibly. 

I don't own Harry Potter or anything to do with the books. Blah blah frickin' blah. The song P.S., I Love You was written by the Beatles, and it's adorable but really has very little relevance to the overall plot of this story. I just lifted the title. So thanks to the boys, not that they care…

No action as of yet… I do so love my preamble. Oh yes, one thing you should know is that I hate OotP Percy, and this was written mostly pre-OotP anyway, so don't go ragging on the fact that it's out of character… I already know that. I'm choosing to ignore it. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Let me know if it's worth continuing. Love and all things pleasant, -Nymphean

P.S., I Love You

Percy sighed and leaned against the street lamp as he finished taping the last bulletin to it. He shook his head. _I hate this I hate this I hate this…_ His eyes were drawn to the side as he heard a ripping sound and looked up just in time to see his advertisement fly away. _Goddamnit…  
_Percy wasn't too happy about having to find a roommate in the first place, and his last flyer floating away on the breeze was just one more thing for him to be miserable about. It was probably the cheap tape he was using… Merlin knew how many of his other bulletins were float towards Muggle London this very second. If only he made a little more money, he'd never even have to be in this situation. Such was life when you were at the bottom of the ministry hierarchy. He should have just stayed at the Burrow.

As soon as Percy thought it, he mentally took it back. As bad as it would be living with a total stranger, he couldn't imagine anything worse than living in that smothering little hellhole he'd had the pleasure of calling home for nineteen years. When he'd moved out just over four months ago, it was with dry eyes and a half-smile on his freckled face. Percy hadn't anticipated the financial difficulties to come so soon. But he had plenty of room in the apartment, and although he' probably go crazy living with someone else in his way, he was more than used to it, and it was the only solution, short of moving home, that he could think of. 

Still, he was not looking forward to getting used to another person. Percy was a loner, and he liked it that way. This roommate business threatened his status as such, and Percy was not really sure he found it agreeable in the slightest. 

*****

Oliver Wood was walking down an almost abandoned Diagon Ally, trying to make it to the Three Broomsticks before he collapsed. He was exhausted, and just wanted to fall into bed and sleep forever, not to think about the Quidditch practice he had at the crack of dawn the next day. Every muscle in his body ached, a combination of getting knocked from his broom at least a dozen times throughout the course of the day and having slept on the thin, hard mattresses at the three Broomsticks for too many nights. Oliver shoved his hands in his pockets and buried his face in his high collar as a huge gust of wind hit him straight on. 

_It's a wonderful life, is it?_

Oliver stood outside the Three Broomsticks now, hating that he had to go in and face the same old dingy, generic room as he did every night. As second-string keeper for the Chudley Cannons, most people just assumed Oliver used the Inn as a sort of home away from home. What nobody realized was that he didn't have a home to be away from. 

Oliver was just about to walk through the doors when another gust of wind came along, blowing sand and gravel at Oliver. He closed his eyes and was just about to shield his face with his hands when something whipped against his head and stuck there. A piece of paper. As the wind died down, Oliver grabbed the paper and held it in front of him, reading it aloud. 

"Roommate needed… Male, Non-smoker…" Oliver's eyes skimmed own the rest of the page. There was a row of Muggle phone numbers at the bottom, none of which had been ripped off. Oliver looked up, examining the Three Broomsticks, and then looked back down at the ad.

He'd call tomorrow. 

*****

Percy awoke with a start as the phone rang. Dazed and drowsy, he looked over at the clock, which now read "Late for Work".

"Fuck!"

The phone rang again, and Percy wondered for the millionth time why he'd opted to get one of the terrible muggle devices installed in his house. He answered in the middle of the third ring

"Hello?" He said, his voice slightly raspy from sleep. There was a pause on the other end.

"Um, I'm calling about your ad…"

"Oh." Percy felt slightly disappointed. He'd almost been hoping to avoid the whole roommate issue. "I take it you're interested."

"I might be."

Percy furrowed his brow and reached across the bed to the drawer of his nightstand, taking out a small appointment book. "If you'd like to stop by and take a look at the place, you can drop in around six this evening. Alright?" 

"Six it is. I'll see you then."

Percy hung up the phone, only realizing seconds after he'd done so that he hadn't gotten the other man's name, profession, or, for that matter, any background information whatsoever. For all he knew, he'd just invited an ax-murderer into his home. 

"Oh well," Percy muttered to himself. "Should make things interesting, anyhow."

Hours later, after going to work late, coming back home and hastily tidying up the mostly spotless apartment, Percy sat on his couch, awaiting the arrival of his prospective roommate. He really hoped that the other man turned out to be at least somewhat similar to him, and if not, He prayed that he was at least quiet. At five minutes after six, there was a knock on the door. Percy got up to answer it, feeling as though he was on some sort of death march. 

Percy opened the door and began to greet the person on the other side, his mouth freezing mid-hello. The man in the hallway simply stared back at him, eyes full of surprise.

Oliver spoke first. "Percy? Percy Weasley?" He immediately felt stupid. Of _course_ it was Percy Weasley… after all, neither of them had changed too much in the two and a half years since graduation. He managed a smile at the redheaded boy. They'd never really been all that close, and Oliver had always felt as if Percy looked down on him because of his popular jock status. 

"Oliver Wood." It was not a question, merely an acknowledgement. Oliver shifted his weight from one foot to another, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Percy raised an eyebrow. "So…. You're here about the apartment?"

Oliver blinked a couple times. He'd been so distracted at seeing his former classmate again that he'd almost forgotten why he was there in the first place. "Yeah, I guess that's why I'm here." Percy seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then stepped aside, motioning for Oliver to come in.

"I'll give you the tour," Percy said, closing the door behind Oliver. They stepped into a plain but tastefully decorated room. "This is the living room, and that over there is the dining room." Percy began to walk, and Oliver followed. "Kitchen. Down this hall are the bedrooms. That one over there is mine, and you'd have this one. It has an ensuite bathroom, and there's lots of closet room. The building gives us full laundry, gym and pool privileges."

Oliver nodded appreciatively. It was, admittedly, a very nice little apartment. The old building had character and charm, and it was in a nice part of town. But Oliver didn't know how enthusiastic he was about sharing a place with Percy Weasley. Sure, they'd sort of lived together for seven years, but although they'd shared a dormitory, they'd hardly ever seen each other. And Oliver still got the feeling that Percy really disliked him.

Oliver looked around. They were in the living room again, and he was starting to like the apartment more and more the longer he stayed there. He looked up at Percy, deciding to be very forward and upfront with the other man. 

"Look, Percy, I really like your place, but if it's going to make you uncomfortable to live with me, then I can find some place else."

Percy looked back at Oliver, seeming slightly at odds with the idea of the two of them living under the same roof. Finally, after careful deliberation, Percy spoke. "Are you quiet?"

"What?"

"I don't like a lot of noise. If you live here, you have to keep he racket to a bare minimum." Oliver almost laughed. 

"Yeah, I can do that."

Percy nodded, frowning. "I'm assuming you have a steady job? I need to know you're reliable, with the rent and all." 

Oliver nodded quickly. "I'm second-string for the Cannons. It doesn't pay much, but it's enough, and it's steady."

Percy bit his lower lip. "Okay. I guess that's it then." He walked into the kitchen and looked at the calendar on the side of the fridge. "You can move in any time after Thursday."

And so began a new chapter in the story of Percy Weasley and Oliver Wood's lives.

*****

Percy threw on a light jacket, gathered up his briefcase and his umbrella (just in case), and headed into the kitchen to pour himself a coffee for the walk to work. It was seven am on a bright Friday morning in April, and for once Percy was feeling slightly optimistic. The sun was out, the birds were singing, and it was one of those fine, fresh spring mornings that make it impossible not to smile. Percy poured some milk into his coffee and took out a piece of paper and a pen to write a note to Oliver, who had left sometime before dawn to go to practice. 

_Oliver,_

_Nadya Pearlmutter called (841-9674). Says to call back after four. Meeting tonight until 8:00. Lasagna in the fridge, don't eat it all. If you go out before I get home, turn off the lights this time. _

_-Percy._

_P.S., We need milk._

Percy stuck the letter to the fridge with a magnet. He and Oliver had been living together for five months now, and so far it was working out nicely. They barely ever saw each other except sometimes on weekends, but in those few times when they were together in the apartment they'd managed to secure a steady sort of comradery. It was not exactly a friendship, but it was close enough. Oliver was actually quite a likeable person once you got past the irritatingly good looks, the popularity and the shallow jock façade, Percy had decided after the first month or so. Not everyone is what they appear to be. 

*****

Oliver got home at about five in the evening, after practicing for hours and then going out for a beer with some of the guys and girls from the team. It was strange for Oliver to be playing second-string. Her rarely ever got to play in actual games, but he was worked just as hard in practices, and maybe even harder because he still had something to prove. Oliver had never been second best at anything in his life. At Hogwarts, he'd been the top, a big fish in a little pond. But now he was just a tiny fish in the huge sea that was professional Quidditch, and he had discovered that he hated it with a passion. Oliver was not good at being passed over. He had a tendency to dwell on it, too; it occupied his mind most hours of the day. He'd even talked to Percy about it once or twice. Percy, he'd discovered, knew how it felt to be passed over. He was practically bottom of the barrel in the ministry, and Oliver knew how useless it made him feel. They actually had much more in common than either of them had previously thought. 

After getting ready to go out for the night with some friends from the team, Oliver made his way to the kitchen to get some food and discovered Percy's letter. He chuckled to himself, knowing full well that Percy hated lasagna anyway and probably wouldn't even notice if Oliver finished it, and that his roommate would undoubtedly pick up milk on the way home. He heated up the lasagna, ate it quickly, and scribbled his own note to attach to the fridge. 

_Percy,_

_Good lasagna. Too bad you missed it. Going out tonight, shouldn't be home at any hour you'd consider appropriate. Hope your meeting went well. Practice sucked. _

_-Oliver_

_P.S., There's Coffee White in the cupboard. _

*****

Oliver stepped through the door earlier than usual at about two am to find that all the lights were still on and Percy was sitting on the couch drinking tea and staring blankly at the wall. Oliver immediately knew that something was wrong. It was not like Percy to be up past ten when he had work the next morning. The redheaded man seemed focused intently on the wall in front of him, and his fingers grasped the teacup so hard that his knuckles were white.

"Percy? What's up?" Percy seemed to snap out of his trance-like state, looking suddenly at Oliver. 

"Oh. Nothing. Just thinking."

"At two in the morning?" Percy managed a weak smile.

"If you can party until three than I can certainly think until two."

Oliver frowned. "Don't you have work tomorrow?" Percy grimaced, and Oliver made the connection. "Is this something to do with work?"

Percy took a sip of his tea before replying. "Yes. But I don't want to talk about it." Oliver raised an eyebrow at his roommate. 

"Fine." He paused for a moment before saying, "What do you want to talk about, then?"

"Maybe I don't want to talk about anything." Oliver rolled his eyes. Getting Percy to talk was always difficult. 

"Come on, Percy, I'm your friend. If you're upset about something, you should be able to talk to me." Percy's eyes shot up to meet Oliver's.

"You're…" He stopped, looking back down at his teacup. 

"I'm what?" Oliver asked, confused. Percy shook his head. "Percy?" He persisted, "I'm what?"

"It's nothing, really, just…" Percy laughed self-consciously, still looking into his teacup. "Well, it's just that no-one's ever said that I was their friend before."

Oliver laughed, shaking his head. "Come on, Percy, that's ridiculous." Percy frowned, his eyes still lowered. Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Well, it IS ridiculous… everybody has friends, Perce." 

"Not me."

Oliver drew in a deep breath. After living with Percy for five months, Oliver had almost gotten used to the other man's deep-seated inadequacy complex, but it still bothered him to no end. "Percy, don't be daft. You're selling yourself short." Percy gave a short, sarcastic laugh but didn't reply. "Come on, Percy… don't be so negative." 

"We can't all be you," Percy replied bitingly, and Oliver's eyes widened. 

"What?"

Percy turned to look Oliver straight in the eye. "Not everything is sunshine and roses, Oliver. I know it may seem like that to you, but it's really not. I'm sure it's easy for you to think that… after all, you do something you love for a living, you have millions of friends hanging on your every move, you go out and party every night and laugh and drink and have fun. The world must look pretty perfect from where you're standing. And then there's me. I work all day, everyday at a job I can't stand. I work so hard, _all_ the time, and for what? To be called in for a meeting and told that the promotion I've had _in the bag_ for months now was given to someone else. Sorry, Weatherby, maybe next time." Percy narrowed his eyes. "The view's not so great from here, is it?"

Oliver felt a dull ache in his chest on Percy's behalf. He understood suddenly what had been bothering Percy. Oliver knew exactly what it was like to feel like something was yours for certain and then have in taken away from you before you even really had it in the first place. 

"Believe it or not, Percy, I _do_ know what you're going through." 

"Oh please."

"No," Oliver leaned in towards his roommate so that the other man couldn't ignore him. "Listen, I know how you feel. You think I like being second best? I've never been second at anything before in my life, Percy, and it's embarrassing to see my name down on the second string list. Quidditch has always been my thing, and now it's not mine anymore. And yeah, it's a blow to my ego, alright? But at least it hasn't driven me to insulting people yet." He gave Percy a meaningful look. The redhead's dour expression turned slightly sheepish, and he made a distasteful face. 

"Blimey… I'm sorry, Ol. I guess I'm overreacting a bit."

Oliver shrugged, good-natured as always. "It's alright to be disappointed, and even angry. If you need to rant, feel free to come to me. Just try not to rip me to shreds in the process." Percy winced.

"I really am sorry for insulting you."

"Perce, compared to some of the things people have said to me, that was practically a compliment. Don't worry about it." Oliver was aware that he was still leaning rather close to Percy, and he was beginning to think that Percy had noticed too. For a moment they looked at each other, and then Percy cast his gaze to the side. 

"It's getting late," He muttered, putting down his teacup. "I should be getting to bed." He lifted his eyes momentarily to meet Oliver's before getting up and moving towards the hall. "Goodnight, Oliver, and thanks." Percy started off towards his bedroom, and seconds later, Oliver heard the door shut. His eyes wandered over to the abandoned, half-empty teacup. It was the first time he'd ever seen Percy leave a single dirty dish unwashed, never mind out in plain sight. Sighing, he picked up the cup and started towards the kitchen with it. 

_Turns out everyone's human, even Percy Weasley._ Oliver washed Percy's cup and left it to drain on the drying rack. As he started out of the kitchen, his eyes fell on the small pad of paper sitting next to the fruit bowl. His mouth turned up at the corners, and he turned back into the tiny room, grabbing a pen and the paper and starting to write. 

*****

Percy woke in the morning feeling somewhat refreshed. He could hear Oliver's snoring through the other man's bedroom door as he passed by it on his way to the kitchen. Percy brewed his coffee on auto-pilot, going through the motions without really paying attention. It was only when his travel mug was filled and his toast buttered that he noticed something out of place. There, in the usual place, was a note from Oliver. Percy normally would not have expected a note in the morning. He grabbed it up, perhaps a little anxiously, and began to read.

_Percy,_

_ I ate the last tangerine last night before bed… try to get some more from the same place as last time… they have the best ones. Also, we could still use some milk. If you have time, that is. Ta for now,_

_ -Oliver_

_P.S.: Smile._

Percy creased the note carefully, stuck it in his shirt pocket, and stepped, grinning, out of the apartment. 


	2. The Girlfriend?

A/n: I know this has been a long time coming, and I'm really sorry about that. For those of you who read my other fics, I'm trying to pump out the next chapter of I Wish I Danced Like You next. I'm trying to get the gears moving again after a really long hiatus, and I hope you can forgive me for being so slow, and that I haven't lost you all. Anyway, I'm trying, that's all I can give you for now.

This chapter marks the appearance of an original character. She's a bit important, but I promise she's not SI, and even if she was that, or a Mary-Sue, she's only around for this chapter and the first two hundred or so words of the next. A brief appearance, that's all. I figure a guy like Oliver must have made friends since leaving Hogwarts, and wouldn't it be weird, him never having any of them over? Plus, she brings about some important confessions and revelations. You'll see. Anyway, for those of you who hate O/Cs, don't worry, she'll be out of the way faster than I can say I told you so.

No letters in this chapter, either… it's Saturday and Sunday, they're both home, so… a bit of interaction instead. Relationship (and maybe some relations, if you're lucky!) coming slowly but surely, I promise you that!

Enjoy!

-N

Chapter 2

Percy stepped through the door to his and Oliver's apartment that night fully expecting to be greeted by a dark room and a note on the kitchen counter. Which was why it came as a surprise to him to hear the sound of the shower running when he stepped through the door. He frowned slightly; Oliver was never home by eight. He stepped lightly down the hall, setting down his briefcase and hanging up his jacket without making a sound. The bathroom door was slightly ajar.

"Oliver?" He called cautiously. There was no response. "Oliver?" He said, louder this time, yelling right through the crack in the door. Still nothing. A million thoughts passed through Percy's head. What if Oliver had accidentally left the water running that morning? Or, even worse, what if he'd fallen, and was laying there comatose… Percy's eyes widened and he pushed the door open, just in time to be greeted by the sound of the water shutting off and the sight of a very wet, very naked young woman stepping out of the tub. The girl looked up, seeing him for the first time, and then screamed loudly, slipping on the wet floor and falling on her behind. Percy froze for a moment, and then turned around as quickly as he could, shielding his eyes.

"I'm sorry!" He cried, feeling his face flushing. "I didn't know you were… I called out, but…" He groped around, eyes squeezed shut, grabbed a towel and threw it in her direction. "Here…" He turned back around, and realized for the first time that the strange girl was sprawled out on the floor. "Let me help you," He began, reaching for her arm.

"Get off!" the girl cried, scrambling to her feet as she pulled the towel around her. "And get out, for fuck's sake!" She started swatting at Percy, and the flustered young man practically bolted from the room, closing the door and standing on the other side of it.

"I'm sorry," He repeated plaintively through the door. "I really didn't know…" He stopped mid-sentence. "Wait a minute… who _are_ you?"

"Nadya," Came the faint reply, "Nadya Pearlmutter. Who the hell are you?"

Percy felt a small measure of indignance at this. The girl hadn't really helped him figure out what she was doing in his shower by stating her name, and now she was acting like _he_ was the one who had no place being there. "I'm Percy," He said coarsely. "I live here."

"Ohh…" the door opened, and the girl stepped out, now wearing a lively purple sundress. She eyed him appraisingly as she pulled her dripping wet red curls into a low ponytail. "You're Oliver's roommate." Percy rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I suppose I am." The girl stuck her hand out enthusiastically.

"Sorry about the confusion," She said, shaking vigorously. "Oliver said you might be a little weird about my being here. But don't worry, I'm virtually harmless." Percy did his best to smile as she released his hand, trying to surreptitiously crack his knuckles back into place.

"If you'd answered when I called out, I wouldn't have burst in like that," Percy admonished. The young woman smiled back at him.

"I couldn't hear you… I wear earplugs in the water. I'm prone to ear infections, and any odd thing can irritate it. Sorry to cause such a commotion."

Percy shrugged. "It's all right… it's nice to meet you despite the awkward circumstances, Miss…"

"Nadya is fine," She cut in, grinning. Percy fought the urge to grimace.

"Okay, Nadya."

"Where have you been?" Oliver's eyes shot up to meet those of a very irate Percy. He smiled a little sheepishly.

"I gather by that less-than-thrilled greeting that you've met Nadya?"

"How very astute of you." Percy uncrossed his arms and picked up Oliver's carelessly discarded jacket, hanging it on the hook next to his. "She's been here all evening, Oliver… I couldn't leave her alone, I was afraid… well, I don't know _what_ I was afraid of, exactly, but it was something bad. She finally went to sleep about forty minutes ago. Where _were_ you?" Oliver seemed to be finding the entire situation extremely funny.

"She's something, isn't she?" The adoration with which Oliver said the words rubbed Percy in entirely the wrong way, and he crossed his arms again, glowering at his roommate.

"That's one way of putting it." Oliver gave Percy a confused look. "I'm not here to baby-sit your girlfriends while you go off doing whatever it is you do."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, whoa… first of all, I wouldn't have left Nadya here if Lindsay and I hadn't had plans for weeks, and second of all--"

"Hold on… you were out with another girl?" Percy's eyes were narrowed dangerously. "Well, I have to tell you, I think that's—"

"Percy…"

"Despicable, leaving your girlfriend with me while you—"

"She's not my…"

"Go out on the town with some other woman and just—"

"_Percy…_"

"Act like she doesn't exist! Well, let me tell you, it's somewhat harder to forget about this Nadya woman when she's—"

"_I don't like girls!_"

"Yelling in your ear all… What?"

Oliver drew a long breath. "Nadya is not my girlfriend, and Lindsay isn't either. _Nobody_ is my girlfriend… in fact, I don't even _like_ girls. I like men, get it, Men? Like you?"

"M-me?" Percy stuttered, looking overwhelmed. Oliver had to laugh.

"Not _you…_ it was just the most convenient example. I thought from the look on your face that you might need some sort of explanation."

"Oh." Percy couldn't explain why he didn't feel more relieved. "Wait, _What?"_ It had just hit him what Oliver had said. His roommate rolled his eyes.

"Percy, you _know_ what I said." Percy just stared dumbly at Oliver.

"You?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes, Me."

"You."

"Yes, Percy." Oliver sighed. "Feel free to start speaking in full sentences again any time you like." Percy shook his head rapidly, as if to clear it.

"Sorry," He muttered sheepishly. "I'm just… wow." He squinted at Oliver from behind his glasses. "Do you, I mean… are you sure?"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Come _on_, Perce. I've been out since we graduated. Of course I'm sure."

"Oh, you've been 'out', have you?" Percy, seemingly recovering from the shock, crossed his arms and eyed his roommate. "If that's so, than why haven't I read about it in the papers? And furthermore, why haven't you mentioned it to me? You'd think it would have come up at least once in casual conversation."

Oliver looked at his feet. "Okay, so I'm not really _out_, per se, just sort of…"

"Sitting with your legs in the closet?" Oliver did his best to glare, but couldn't stop his mouth from twitching up at the corners, especially when he caught the quick half-smile that flashed across Percy's face.

"Did you just make a joke? You know, you're taking this awfully well, considering."

Percy furrowed his brow. "Considering what?"

"Well, considering that I've been keeping this from you for… how long have we been living together?"

"Five months."

"Thank you… for five months." Oliver looked searchingly at his friend. "Are you upset?"

Percy sighed. "I'm kind of disappointed that you felt you had to keep it a secret from me… but I can't blame you, I wouldn't tell me either." The redhead gave a short, self-deprecating laugh, but stopped when he caught Oliver's pointed look. "Alright, alright… I was just joking. But really, I'm not upset with you. How could I be? It's not like you did anything wrong."

Oliver smiled slightly. "You know, there are people who would tell you differently."

"Well fortunately for you, I'm not that stupid," Percy remarked lightly. "I hope that's not the reason you kept this from me."

Oliver shrugged. "Not really, it's just… sometimes you get scared, you know?"

"I know." Percy yawned. "Sorry," He muttered.

"Hey, you're exhausted. It's understandable… Nadya can be a handful." He smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that, by the way. She needed somewhere to stay for a couple days… her roommate's sister is in town, so there isn't much room in their apartment. I really hope you don't mind." Percy looked morosely at the wall. "I promise not to make you baby-sit again," Oliver said sincerely. Percy couldn't help smiling.

"Oh, fine. Just make sure I never have to walk in on her showering again."

"_What?_"

"Never mind… another time." Percy yawned again, and Oliver chuckled to himself.

"Okay, it's late and we're both dead tired. Let's go to bed." Percy's head snapped up suddenly, a shocked expression on his face. "No, I… I didn't mean it like that." Percy started to laugh quietly, and Oliver realized he'd been had.

"Two jokes in one night, Percy… what are we doing here, setting a record?" Percy merely shrugged and started off down the hall.

"Goodnight, Oliver," He said cheerfully. "Oh, and by the way, you're girlfriend is asleep in your bed. Have fun on the couch."

"Thanks," Oliver replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And don't call her that!"

He could hear Percy laughing all the way down the hall. A slow grin spread over his face. _Finally_.

Percy woke mid-morning on Sunday and walked into the living room to find Oliver still fast asleep, curled beneath one of his mother's quilts on their sofa. The Quidditch player had a faint smile on his lips, and as Percy stepped across the room towards him, he muttered something in his sleep. Percy strained to hear, but couldn't make out the words. On the coffee table near Oliver's head lay a folder containing some ministry documents Percy wanted to go over while drinking his coffee, but he couldn't reach them without leaning over his sleeping roommate. He stood on tiptoe, bending over the back of the sofa and reaching for the folder, his face centimeters from Oliver's. As he grabbed the folder and began to straighten up, he heard the other man breath a soft, contented sigh. Percy watched as his roommate's mouth twitched up at one corner, his smile growing almost imperceptibly. Then he shook his head and started for the kitchen.

A few seconds later, a sleepy, night-robed Oliver appeared in the doorway of the kitchenette, stretching widely.

"Good Morning," Percy said, somewhat amused by his sleepy-eyed roommate. Oliver was awkwardly massaging the small of his back. "How did you fare on the couch?" Oliver just grumbled and blinked blearily at the redhead. Percy sighed and rolled his eyes, setting down the whisk he was holding beside the bowl full of would-be omelette, and started towards his roommate. "Here. Turn…" Oliver obligingly turned around, and Percy began to knead at his back.

"Ow! That's where it's stiff, careful, I don't want tooooo-ooh…" Oliver groaned. "That's better." Percy rolled his eyes again.

"Okay, see, _this_ is why you shouldn't invite crazy lunatics into our apartment… You pampered athletes need to take care of your backs."

"Well now, isn't that just the picture of domesticity." Percy jumped guiltily and turned around, clasping his hands behind his back. "Don't worry, it's only the crazy lunatic." Percy blushed up to the roots of his hair. Nadya crossed the kitchen and poured herself a cup of fresh-brewed coffee, grinning. "Morning, all."

Oliver glared pointedly at Nadya behind his roommate's back. "Do you mind?" He mouthed silently. Nadya flashed him a knowing grin, causing Percy to turn around and look at the other man.

"What?" He asked, confused. "Did I miss something?"

"No more than the usual," Nadya muttered under her breath. "Ow! Oliver…"

"Nothing, Percy, Nadya's just being a git. Aren't you, _darling_?"

Nadya grinned again, this time at Percy. "When am I not?"

Percy, still slightly lost by the conversation, went back to his eggs. "Will you be having eggs?" He asked Nadya. "There's enough for three."

"Brilliant!" She replied, crossing the tiny room to look over Percy's shoulder. "Is that fresh basil in there?"

"Yes."

"Ooh, Percy, I could get used to living with you!" Oliver grimaced to hid his involuntary smile.

"Please don't." Nadya turned to glare at her friend crossly.

"Spoil-sport. You always ruin my fun, Olly."

"Yes, but without me, you wouldn't have any in the first place!" He grinned winningly, and the young woman pretended to swoon.

"Damn you, Wood, if only you weren't so dashing!" she grabbed hold of his arm and turned him towards Percy. "Isn't he just too dashing, Percy? It's just plain unfair."

"I hadn't noticed," Percy said flatly, turning back to his eggs. He grinned down at the frying pan, willing himself not to laugh. Nadya, for her part, was cracking up.

"You two are simply the best! I'm going to go run myself through the shower before breakfast… no peeking now, Percy!" and with that, she was off down the hall again.

"Well, I think I'll get cleaned up too, seeing as you're already dressed… How do you do that, getting ready so early in the morning?" Percy shrugged.

"Force of habit, I suppose." He cast a look over his shoulder at Oliver. "Well, you'd better go if you're going to, or breakfast will be ready." Oliver nodded and took off down the hall.

Nadya was just about to step into the bathroom when Oliver ran into her at top speed and pushed her through the door, closing and locking it behind them. He then cast a silencing spell on the room and stepped away from his friend.

"WHAT do you think you're doing?" He bellowed loudly, throwing his arms in the air.

"Well, you queers certainly have a way of cornering a girl in the bathroom and letting her have it," Nadya replied, unworried.

"One, you deserve it, and Two, I'm the only queer in this apartment. Percy is not gay."

Nadya rolled her eyes. "Yeah, '_Not_'," she replied.

"He isn't, okay? If he was…" Oliver broke the sentence off. The redheaded girl raised an eyebrow.

"If he was, what, Oliver?"

"Nothing. You know what." The Quidditch player sat down on the edge of the tub, holding his head in his hands. "You know, you're not helping things, Nadya, with your little hints and your innuendo."

"Well that's funny, because I rather thought it WAS helping things. Besides, you didn't seem to like my flirting, so I decided I'd help you instead of me. What else are friends for?"

"You're not a friend, Nadya, you're a fag hag."

"Yes, well, I love you too, dearest." Then she dropped the sarcasm and crossed the bathroom to sit beside Oliver, putting a bathrobe-clad arm around him. "I _do_, you know. And I promise you it'll be fine."

"Oh yeah? How would _you_ know?" Oliver asked, pouting.

"Because I just do, you sulky child! No get up and get out so's I can have my shower before you and the luscious geek out there decide to get it on all over the breakfast table."

"He's not a geek," Oliver said defensively, "and it's not going to happen."

"Yeah," Nadya replied as he made for the door, "_'Not'_!"

Oliver's response was to slam the bathroom door as hard as he could, and even so he could still hear her laughing over the noise of the water.

"What was _that_ about?" Percy asked from the stove when Oliver reappeared, in clean clothes and feeling refreshed from a cleaning spell.

"Oh, nothing," he replied a little too quickly, realizing ith a great deal of chagrin that Percy must have heard the door slamming. "Nadya and I have always fought like little kids… my maturity level drops by about five years whenever she's around." Oliver smiled sheepishly at his friend. "Sorry."

Percy shook his head and slid the eggs onto three separate plates. "that must put you in the negatives," He deadpanned. It took a moment for Oliver to realize that Percy was joking.

"Another joke," he said, sounding impressed. "Don't go making it a habit, now."

"My entire life is habit, Oliver. That might be a little difficult." Just then, Nadya appeared, pulling her wet curls into a large clip at the back of her head. Percy squinted through his glasses at the bright lime green of her sundress.

"Better," she said, grabbing a plate that Percy had just added a few melon slices to. "Mm, I'm famished. Percy, you're a doll!" Percy screwed up his nose.

"There's something I've never been called before," he muttered as He followed Oliver into the dining area.

"Well, it's can't do any harm if it's true," the girl replied, already digging into her eggs. "Wow… these are good."

Oliver nodded, his mouth full of food. "Percy's a regular chef, not that he'd admit it. He does the cooking, I do the cleaning."

Percy snorted. "When do _you_ ever clean?"

"I clean," Oliver said defensively. "Just 'cause you aren't around to see me do it doesn't mean I never do!"

"Yeah, well I haven't seen the results of it, either."

"Ooh," Nadya said excitedly, waving a slice of melon in the air, "Cat fight!"

"Shut _UP_!" Oliver said, tossing a corner of his piece of toast at her head.

"Oh, come on…" Percy frowned and leapt up to pick up the toast. "Oliver, you'll get crumbs everywhere!"

"You can't make crumbs from melon!" Nadya said deviously, hurling her melon slice at Oliver, who caught it millimeters from his forehead and tossed it back, hitting her square on the temple.

"Keeper," He said pointedly. Nadya stuck out her tongue, and turned away sulkily. Oliver turned back to his plate of food, only to have a forkful of eggs hit him right between the eyes.

"I was a pitcher in a Muggle baseball league for six years," Nadya said triumphantly. "Put that in your Cannon and fir it, 'Keeper'!"

Oliver set his jaw and chucked another melon slice at his friend, who saw it coming and ducked swiftly. The melon flew over her head and hit Percy. Who was just standing up, hands full of what was once Oliver's toast. For a moment, all three were silent as Percy picked the melon out of his hair, and then there were two gasps as the redheaded boy glared steadily at his roommate and, without warning, threw the melon back in his face. Oliver was too stunned to let his reflexes work to his advantage, and the melon had been thrown so evenly that it hit the bridge of his nose with a wet smack and stayed there, a mushy, bruised pile of pale orange on the handsome Quidditch player's face. Percy, for his part, threw the toast crumbs on his plate, brushed his hands off on his napkin, and began to clear the table.

"If you play with it, you lose it," He called from the kitchen, scraping the plates. "Those are the rules." Oliver and Nadya sat watching him through the door, identical expressions of awe on their faces.

_Hey, guess what? It's the end of the chapter! You know what to do._


End file.
